释义 |
freeman /ˈfriːmən /noun (plural freemen)1British A person who has been given the freedom of a city or borough: he was made a freeman of the City of Birmingham in 1982...- During a 20-minute ceremony attended by 600 guests, including schoolchildren, local residents and dignitaries, the Prince was invested as a freeman of the city.
- Over the years, field marshals, generals, prime ministers and archbishops have been made honorary freemen of the city, although Winston Churchill did not take up the offer.
- The former manager of Derby County, Nottingham Forest and, briefly, Leeds United became the first living person to be made an honorary freeman of the city of Derby.
2 historical A person who is not a slave or serf.Although Norwich's custumal prohibited serfs from becoming freemen, it may be doubted that a thorough enquiry was made of the background of each applicant....- Above the serfs were the Villeins, freemen who were tied to their lord's land, equivalent to the Saxon gebur.
- The problem of loyalty was reflected in the ceremonial developments of the act of commendation in which a freeman became a vassal.
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